GPOD author and fearless leader, Kim Charles, creates for a variety of indoor spaces using unusual plant material and elements found in nature.
Hello fellow GPOD'ers! I am taking the opportunity during our blizzard (14" and counting) to pull together a selection of photos of my indoor container gardens. I enjoy using interesting orchids, succulents, ferns, and mosses combined with pebbles from various beaches, lakes and streams. On hikes I also tend to collect seed pods, unusual fallen branches and anything else I may come across. For the containers, I search for interesting glass vessels and antique galvanized pieces which I feel would be a compliment to the plants and materials chosen. The result is a unique combination with no two ever being alike. Hope you enjoy them!
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Comments
Hey Kim, GPODer's 'fearless leader' extraordinaire - You are sooo talented and creative! Your terrariums and indoor containers are outstanding, and their positioning in your beautiful home together with other decorations (e.g. the three books) etc. is absolutely perfect. Thanks for taking us into your immaculate house today and showing us your very classy and innovative displays of plants. Have a good week-end everybody. Cheers, Frank
Spectacular presentations!!
Kim, my jaw dropped with your containers. You have quite a talent. You have created lovely combinations of plants and containers. Love the use of the glass with your plantings. And the use of the hellebore.Wow. Very inspiring. I also love the wall sconces in the 2nd photo, of the dining room. I will have to check back after work to study your magnificent creations after work.
Well, Kim, I can almost hear imaginary voices of old time newsboys shoutng out, "Extra, Extra, Read All About It....Fearless Leader is Gifted Plant Artist!!!" Truly, your container compositions are exquisite perfection and I am captivated by them. I am smiling at the shy pansy faces and am hoping they feel quite special to be indoors and protected from the harsh elements. Your interior is beautiful and shows you have mastered the less is more design aesthetic. Have you always been blessed not to be a clutter bug or have you fought for it?
Absolutely lovely, Kim! I am especially drawn to your arrangement with the Hellebores, one of my favorite perennials! You certainly have a special talent for composing these beautiful containers. What is the plant in the domed creation? Thank you for sharing!
Is pic 6 the kitchen? Love the stones on the counter. Love, love the use of natural objects.
Awesome awesome awesome! And the big snow is awesome too.
Great post for a snowy day! I think these are all very beautiful.
Kim, you are very talented! I, too, love the hellebores...and I would love to know what plant that is under the dome, also. Such a treat today. Thanks for posting!
You're not fooling me, Kim. These are all staged photos from Crate and Barrel or Restoration Hardware, right? :) So tickety-boo.
After seeing your container post previously, I am simply not surprised at your artistry. Your found objects go beautifully with your plant selections. Looks like they are containers that you change and refresh regularly?
Besides the fabulous Helleborus creation, I am completely smitten by the mini-greenhouse in the first photo, but I am so worried about your gorgeous wooden table. Is the terrarium truly water-tight?
I'll be anxious all day, now......
:)
Oh wow your containers are drool worthy! I'm sharing them with my garden club buddies. They will love them also. Thanks for this indoor treat! Vikki in VA
Kim - WOW! You are a truly gifted designer - both with plants and home interiors! I don't think I've ever seen a collection of indoor containers as lovely and creative as yours. And I love the way you tied the stack of three old books together with twine and topped with the adorable bud vase. I hope Fine Gardening Magazine appreciates your talents.
Thanks for all your wonderful comments! Photos 1, 2 & 5 are creations I made for the sets of 3 Property Brothers homes (HGTV)--a very fun experience! The longevity of my containers is anywhere from a month to a year approximately (based on plant material). The hellebores lasted 2 months in a partly sunny spot. Much longer lasting than an ordinary bouquet of flowers...for sure! The plant in the domed container is called lithops or Living Stones...in the succulent family--very fun to work with. And..no table were harmed with these creations! It was great to pull this post
together during the snowstorm yesterday. Here are a few pics from the day. including the end of the storm with a beautiful sunset!
Beautiful photos and that's a lot of snow! Hope your roads are being cleared and that there were not weather related mishaps.
Kim, I am awe-struck! Gorgeous container designs, beautiful plants - and beautiful home. I too love the wall sconces and your decor. I have never seen lithops bloom before! They might be worth trying after all, with those beautiful flowers. Who knew?! Beautiful orchids, beautiful succulents, beautiful everything! You are truly one of us.
Design is definitely in your blood, oh Fearless Leader, and your clean and yet at times complex style is like a feast for the eyes! The style group for Property Brothers knew what they were doing when they asked you to design creations for 3 different spaces, since each one compliments the location with an unexpected elegance. #5 immediately captured my attention with similar but different elements in each white container. The muted tones of the succulents are so comfortable to look at, they could be boring with a different choice of plants but your selection of textures makes them mesmerizing. Drop dead gorgeous combinations I would say! What a treat to see more of your work, you are quite the artist.
Everything is fabulous Kim. What an eye for design you have. It is so inspiring. I am afraid my houseplants look rather sad . Do you put these plants out in the summer and bring them in each year or do them from scratch each year?
Hi Catherine..yes I create them from scratch each year and have a nice following so I also create many of these as gifts as well.
Really stunning containers, Kim! Great inspiration!
Beautiful arrangements Kim! And it is nice to see your picture too! Love every one of your creations. I am very excited to see the lithop under glass! I love it! You definately have the design element flowing through you! Thanks for the beauty today!
Wonderful containers Kim and what fun you must have collecting all of those goodies that you add to your pots. Such stunning interest they provide and all so VERY unique. Thanks for all of the wonderful ideas - and sorry about all that snow!!
Hi Kim, snow is so pretty , especially when sitting outside in sunny AZ enjoying it in photos. Thanks for this great share today. I didn't realize that you were such a talented designer and a celebrity.
What wonderful creations, Kim. The orchid flowers sneaking out the side of the terrarium really caught my eye. The lithrops in flower surrounded by selaginella seems an improbable combination but you pulled it off with aplomb. What are the flowers in the last photo? The pansy faced ones are not pansies but I don't know what they are. An orchid of some kind? And what are the little white ones? Your photos are also a little intimidating. I was going to send in some photos of my indoor garden which keeps me from going crazy in winter, but you are a hard act to follow!
I believe the Pansy like flowers are Miltonia, a type of orchid. I have found them at Trader Joe's from time to time.
Looked up Miltonia. Turns out they are also called Pansy Orchids! Thanks, Lili!
If I'm not mistaken, Tim, those sconces are from Pottery Barn. Am I correct, Kim? Gorgeous home, BTW. It inspired me to declutter!
Absolutely gorgeous Kim! Everyone is right on target you have a real talent as a designer. Your container combinations put mine to shame… I have created a few myself but don't have the heart to keep on transplanting them and moving things around on a regular basis. I have a schefflera in one of my glass bowls that is way out of proportion to everything else but I don't know what else to do with it right now, so there it stays…
Ms. Charles!!
Even MORE Orchids to top off a week where they popped up everywhere!!! DEEEE-lightful!!!!
(I've a weak spot in my heart for them, obviously!) I tried one Miltonia last season....and killed it...too much sun. (Operator error!) I'll have to try again altho they're a challenge this far South!
I've been pressed into service to do an occasional table planting/design in the past, but after a couple of tries, I was only asked to do so as a TOTAL last resort of desperation!! After viewing yours, I should've given you a call to save the day!! Had we only known!!!! ;-)
And, succulents, too!! *(Also sprinkled in throughout the week's galleries!!) I"m slowly catching that popular bug!! I've a few and their numbers seem to be expanding here....all on their own!! Wink, wink!! As others have stated: Beautiful creations, but I distinctly applaud your collecting fun shapes and textures from your immediate neighbourhood to incorporate a local taste! After all, as gardeners, it is often the Natural Realm where we receive our strongest inspirations in our own planted creations!
But, your Snow Scenes.....sigh....the green you're sensing is NOT from the garden (which is even now hitting the snooze button.) but from my envious Spirit!! We've only had just over an inch here, (edge of the Ozarks/Great Plains) and that was last month. Perhaps next winter, but for us, only the cold winds for now. Beautiful views!! Thank YOU for sharing!! Jesse
Kim, I'm a bit late getting in to view your lovely container posting. You are absolutely an artist when it comes to putting together your compositions. This is a posting that I will refer to when I get ready to replace/update some of my indoor containers. Your snow is lovely and so much fun to enjoy from inside sitting by a fire with a cup of tea. No snow in the southeast this year, so it is great to enjoy yours. Thanks for sharing.
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